Fuzzy Xtol ?

[dcsang]

Ok.. I'm fed up and maybe one of you gurus here can give me a hand 🙂

This is the second batch of xtol I've mixed in about 3 months.

It mixes well, and thorough, and I have a clean brown glass jug that I've never used for anything else, to store it in. The jug, in fact, was purchased from a photographic store up in these neck of the Canuck woods (Henry's).

Now, I've noted, as the month drags on, that there's some sort of "growth" or "fur" or "fuzz" that develops in the xtol - usually I can get just about all of the xtol out without the fuzz but I know I lose about 750ml to a full litre to this fuzz or fur.

I haven't a clue what it is or how it gets "in" there.

Any ideas?
Oh.. and the xtol is well within its "best before" date.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[wontonny]

I've had the same thing with D76 and Xtol... I've even poured a few chunks in my developing tank. It has no adverse effects that I can see... I've tried to get my bottles super sterile by using soap and boiling water. I can't seem to prevent it. Meh...

 

[dcsang]

Yep... bottle is air tight.
Don't know (but don't think) it's bacteria since I'm using distilled water to mix the Xtol with.

I just can't figure it out - it's some sort of "stuff" that gets suspended in the Xtol - don't know how to explain it.

Dave

 

[Krzys]

Wow!

I just looked at my bottle of Xtol stock today and noticed the same thing. I planned to post a thead on APUG.

I have never had this with D76. The Xtol is probably 3 weeks old. Air tight bottle.

 

[Turtle]

I've probably used 50L of Xtol stock in thr last few years and I have never noticed this. My bottles are brown opaque plastic so maybe thats why 😉 Never seen anything pour out into my jugs tho.

 

[wgerrard]

Does it go away when you shake the bottle?

Could it be a condensate that forms when the solution is too warm or too cold?

I've been using Xtol that's pushing 6 months old, stored in half-liter brown glass bottles in the fridge. Haven't noticed any fuzz, but don't really look at the stuff before I pour it in the tank. Maybe I should.

 

[dcsang]

Doesn't go away when I shake the bottle.
Don't think it's condensation because it actually has "physical form" - the stuff sort of looks like "dust bunnies" but in the suspension of the Xtol

The issue is, it's not dust, because the bottle is always kept sealed and it's never been used for anything else other than developer.

Weirdness

Dave

 

[wgerrard]

I just took a look at a couple bottles of Xtol in my fridge. Yes, several small clusters of something are floating near the top. I'd guess the largest cluster is no more than one-eight of an inch wide. Shaking the bottle breaks them up into smaller pieces, but does not eliminate them.

I've no clue what produced them. Perhaps impurities in the Xtol powder. Perhaps they are solids that weren't dissolved when I mixed the solution. Maybe an oxidation product. Whatever it is, it doesn't seem to do any damage.

 

[kully]

I have the same (with D76 too). Didn't notice any problems (I only lose a small amount as it settles at the bottom and I take care not to shake the bottle).

 

[presspass]

I've been using Xtol since it came out and have never seen this. I've used it as a replenished developer in 1-gallon tanks as well as a one-shot either diluted or straight and never had that show up either in the tanks or in the brown glass bottles. My first guess, and you already answered this, is the water. How have you cleaned the storage bottle?

 

[ItsReallyDarren]

Could it be a residue in the bottles? Maybe there's some gunk in the top cap. I keep my Xtol in 5 separate 1L PET plastic bottles. 9 months and its still clear as the day I mixed it.

 

[Chuck Albertson]

Never seen that, and I've been using Xtol since it first came out. (I occasionally get a slime build-up in PermaWash as it gets used.) What sort of water do you use to mix Xtol? I use distilled water (even though Kodak says its not necessary) over tap water---maybe you're getting a reaction with something in local tap water?

 

[Trius]

Using distilled water would have little or no bearing on whether bacterial growth occurs; think about it -- a bottle never used for anything else can still have air-borne bacterial contamination. I take it, Dave, your home is not completely sterile ... I've never pegged you as a sterile guy ... :shrug:

I'm thinking it's crystallization. For my services as degreed in biology and chemistry, I'll make a house call. Just supply top-flight '05 Burgundy and crash facilities, and we'll be square.

 

[dcsang]

Using distilled water would have little or no bearing on whether bacterial growth occurs; think about it -- a bottle never used for anything else can still have air-borne bacterial contamination. I take it, Dave, your home is not completely sterile ... I've never pegged you as a sterile guy ... :shrug:

I'm thinking it's crystallization. For my services as degreed in biology and chemistry, I'll make a house call. Just supply top-flight '05 Burgundy and crash facilities, and we'll be square.

Earl, Let me know when you're next in town and I'll supply the portable bed, sheets, pillows etc.

I don't stock burgundy here - I'm all heavy wine - you know, those big bold Australians that are meant for "laying down and avoiding" or "best used for hand to hand combat" 🙂

I know, re: Xtol, it's got nothing to do with the the water - even if I clean/wash my bottles out I don't know where the stuff is coming from but then again, like you said, while I'm clean, I'm not Howard Hughes 🙂

Cheers,
Dave

 

[maddoc]

My guess is that it is crystal nucleation. The compound (crystallization product) is either an reactant of the initial packages (A or B) or formed after dissolving the contents of A and B in water. Glass bottles have partially rough surfaces that can act as seed crystals.

 

[wgerrard]

I keep my Xtol bottles in the back of the bottom shelf in a fridge. It's barely above freezing there. I've seen ice form on the water in neglected pitchers I've left there. So, perhaps, in my case, it's just ice crystals.

 

[dcsang]

I think Gabor may be on to something.
I had my suspicions that it may be that but wasn't sure - because the "fuzz" starts off minor but "grows" over time so crystal nucleation of some sort seems a reasonable explanation.

Cheers & Thanks for everyone's input on this 🙂
Dave

 

[sepiareverb]

I had this with Dektol many years back, spoke with Kodak on the phone (do they still have that Tech Support line??). I don't recall what it was, some component of the developer- but was told it wouldn't cause any problems. I'd filter it through some filter paper and give it a test on a roll of film.

 

[Freakscene]

Guys, if you use tap/non-distilled or not heavily deionised water (i.e. any water with a decent ionic load), this is the insoluble complex that forms between the divalent cations and the agents in the developer that are added to remove them; if there are enough of the right kind of ions, it precipitates out.

Marty